


Eine traurige Geschichte- A sad story (A.K.A Spiel mit Mir part III)

by fraufi666



Series: Spiel mit Mir [3]
Category: 2P Hetalia - Fandom, Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Brother/Brother Incest, Doppelcest, Doppelganger, Human Names, Implied Childhood Sexual Abuse, M/M, Male Slash, Romance, Sibling Incest, Suspense, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-23
Updated: 2014-06-23
Packaged: 2018-02-05 21:28:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,537
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1832890
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fraufi666/pseuds/fraufi666
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After being possessed by the double, Ludwig loses strength and the ability to control his own behaviour. Along with this, an unusual book shows up in the German’s house. But could the book contain a story which is a lot closer to the brothers than initially thought?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Eine traurige Geschichte- A sad story (A.K.A Spiel mit Mir part III)

“Danke, Brüderlein…” 

Ludwig, startled by the sudden warm gratitude from the Prussian, smiled.

It was a reasonably warm afternoon, the cloudless sky an impeccable shade of cyan. It had only been a few hours since Gilbert had returned home. To fully make up for their dispute, Ludwig decided to spend the afternoon outdoors with his brother. A cool breeze occasionally blew over the brothers as they sat side by side under the shade of a tree, beer bottles in hand. The German missed sharing such a relaxing moment with Gilbert, ever since the red-eyed double had interfered with their lives. Even though it had only been weeks ago since he arrived, Ludwig felt as if the man had been around for much longer. 

Staring out into the sky, he took another sip from the cold beer bottle, appreciating the way the golden liquid had felt on his lips. Gilbert turned to acknowledge Ludwig’s silent answer, trying to meet his eyes. 

"I really mean it, West. It has been too long since you’ve ever spent time with your awesome brother. But I am grateful for it." Red eyes shining, the albino leaned closer to the German and then allowed his head to lie on his broad shoulder. 

Ludwig gave an embarrassed cough and put the bottle down on the ground beside him. “Please, Gilbert. Don’t do this right now. We don’t want people to see us like this.” 

Gilbert scowled and obeyed, resorting to placing a hand on his shoulder instead. “There’s nobody here…” He protested, rubbing the German’s shoulder slowly in circles. “Anyway, so what if they see? We are lovers after all.” His voice was laced with lust, a desperate hunger just do so much more. He couldn’t help it. Ludwig had such a strong influence on him. Nobody else seemed to be able to make the stubborn Prussian feel this way.

Seeing the albino’s disappointed expression amused Ludwig a little. He felt slightly unusual that he was able to easily manipulate the Prussian as much as Gilbert was able to bend him. Ever since he had defeated his double for the second time, he seemed more and more at peace with himself. It was as if there were no insecurities holding him back, all the anxiety which had been brought onto him eliminated just from that one night. In a split second, he gave a small peck on Gilbert’s cheek and then turned back to gaze at the scenery. The albino’s face reddened slightly at the sudden affectionate gesture yet a smile was quickly forming on his lips. 

"That’s all you’re getting." The German muttered, running a fingertip idly over the frosted glass. But as he continued to observe his surroundings he realised that the Prussian was right. The field was isolated. Not even a bird stirred from the trees around them. From the corner of his eye, he could see that Gilbert was sensing this too. Heart thumping in his chest, Ludwig grabbed his brother by the shoulders and pulled him down on the grass. He leaned over Gilbert’s lying form and kissed him passionately, groaning as the other reciprocated his actions. 

"West…" Gilbert murmured as Ludwig pushed his hands through his silver hair furiously. "Ugh, bitte." 

Between kisses, Ludwig began to smile, realising immediately that his brother was getting turned on. “You want me to take you?” he panted “Hmm?” His hand trailed up Gilbert’s shirt and he could feel beads of sweat beginning to form on his chest. In a tease, Ludwig prodded his fingers at the older nation’s hardened nipples. 

"Ja…" Came the reply and the younger German leaned closer towards him, his hands eager to assist the other out of his garments. With his eyes closed, the albino was oblivious to the growing scarlet gaze of Ludwig as his fingers travelled to his lower regions. He stroked him with forceful intimacy; also beginning to feel very much elated. As Gilbert shouted with pleasure when he reached his climax, Ludwig’s eyes returned to blue and he tilted the albino’s jaw upwards and towards his lips for a tender kiss. 

But both men were mistaken, for there was someone out there, watching their every move with undivided attention and hearing the eager pants and moans from the tree that he was standing just behind. Although the face was difficult to make out from under the long hooded robe that he was wearing, a long, sad sigh emerged. 

Dismayed, the figure dashed away towards the woods, trying to make sense of the whole situation that he just witnessed in secret. Under the long, white sleeve, a fist clenched. 

 

That evening Ludwig sat on the couch reading, his thoughts far away from the Prussian’s cackling and the distant dreary dialogue of the TV. It was a relatively quiet evening, not very much different to the afternoon.

Eventually Gilbert’s interest waned from the soap opera before him and propped himself over the younger German’s lap, curiously staring at the concentrated expression of Ludwig. Although he was used to this behaviour from his brother, he couldn’t help but to feel slightly disconcerted from the sudden change in mood from earlier on. There were moments of complete silence to moments of immediate passion. It puzzled him. From their first encounter with the double, Ludwig had grown distracted, paranoid and even distant. Yet today, especially since Gilbert’s arrival home, he was not as anxious or serious. A worrying thought passed through his mind. 

Did something happen while I was in Vienna? Gilbert wondered as he continued to gaze at his younger brother intently, as if an attempt to search for answers. What has changed you bruder?

As if Ludwig had read his thoughts, he quickly put down the book and returned Gilbert’s gaze from behind his spectacles. He was a little surprised to see the older nation so quiet and gave a small smile to reassure him. 

"Oh don’t mind me." The German replied, a little flustered at the intensity of the older man’s eyes. "This book is just really fascinating."

"It better not be psychology." Gilbert murmured in sarcastic disapproval.

A faint pink blush coloured Ludwig’s fair cheeks as he hesitantly consulted the cover “Nein…Horror.” He turned the book face down on the coffee table, hoping to hide the book from the Prussian. Yet Gilbert was too quick and snatched the novel from him, turning it around to look at it himself. A hollow, white face with dark, sad eyes looked back at him from within a Victorian portrait-style oval. 

Heart thumping rapidly, Gilbert tried to mask his shock with amusement

"Was, West?! Weren’t the fairy tales I told you during your childhood dark enough for you?" 

With a nervous chuckle, Ludwig turned away, his azure eyes downcast. “I just…I just thought it would be interesting to read.”

With an alarming look of concern, the Prussian dropped the book to the floor, as if it could explode at anytime. Unable to hide his shock any longer, he grabbed the German by the shoulders, forcing him to meet his eyes. “Why are you reading this for, Ludwig? After all the things that happened, I thought that you would have been too afraid to look at anything that would remind you of that double.” His voice was dangerously low, an unusual tone from such a normally cheery person. He only ever used this in the most extreme situations. 

The younger blonde flinched slightly at the concerned yet demanding voice of his brother and pushed him into the leather upholstery, a hand on each side of albino’s head, trapping him. Something in that tone had awakened a hidden part inside him, yet he wasn’t sure what it was and couldn’t control it. It was as if he was sleep-walking, performing actions which were against his will. He leaned close into Gilbert and for a split second, his eyes began to blaze a familiar scarlet, much brighter than the albino’s own red eyes. 

"What is wrong with it?" Ludwig whispered threateningly "Are you afraid of becoming crazy again?"

 

"West?! What are you saying? Stop it!" Gilbert sounded panicky. He tried to push the younger man off him, yet the German was much stronger and heavier than usual. A scarred hand came into view and lay on his cheek.

He felt himself perspire and gasped at the rough contact. 

 

Yet in a brief moment, Ludwig’s eyes dulled back to blue and he quickly released his brother, stunned and confused by Gilbert’s terrified expression. He blinked a couple of times, as if slowly ebbing out from a daze and moved away from Gilbert who continued to look on with concern. 

After an awkward silence, the Prussian scooted closer to the German who was furrowing his brow in frustrated confusion. He put a hand on his shoulder gingerly, preparing himself for another dramatic act, yet Ludwig sat still. 

"Alles in ordnung mit dir?" The older nation asked nervously, trying his best not to say anything which would enrage the other. "You…You don’t seem yourself today." 

"Ja…Alles okay." Ludwig lied, his eyes softening with tears. He felt ashamed for his actions, yet he couldn’t quite remember what he did. "I…I have to go to bed." Without another word, he got up from the couch and slowly left the room. 

Still worried for his brother, Gilbert reluctantly nodded and let the blonde go upstairs. He then turned back towards the book which lay a few meters away from his feet. His heart surged. Curiosity pervaded his mind, yet the cover made him feel uncomfortable. Could this book contain the reasons to Ludwig’s change in behaviour? It looked quite old, the pages dog-eared and yellowed. It would have been published before Ludwig was even born, however Gilbert had never seen such a book before. The novel did not look like it had belonged in the clean, orderly bookshelf of technical manuscripts in the German’s study. Gilbert picked up the book and examined the contents. Even the font appeared too out-dated for its time. From where Ludwig had placed a bookmark, it seemed as if he didn’t have it for long….Yet where would it have come from? 

He opened to the first page and started to read when he felt the book grow heavy in his hands. Gilbert struggled to read the script, yet a wave of nausea washed over him. Head spinning, he let go of the book and went upstairs, gasping at the dull pain in his forehead. Perhaps it was just tiredness. After all, he had a long journey from travelling from Austria and a big afternoon with Ludwig. He gripped the banister weakly as he tried to think of all the possibilities for his brother’s current state, as well as his own. 

 

Ludwig found himself in a dark, long room. He walked around, taking in his surroundings yet everything seemed so unusually large and elongated. The ceiling was stretched far above his head, whilst only the legs of a nearby antique table were the closest objects to him. Furthermore, the room had a distinct, musty smell as if it had not been cleaned or occupied for a while. Ludwig could not remember whether he had seen a room like this before, yet it seemed oddly familiar. 

He continued to make his way around the space, still puzzled by how large everything had appeared. Being only a few centimetres shorter than 6 feet in height normally, it seemed too unusual to be suddenly dominated by simple objects in a room. Everything seemed so lifeless for a while, until a distant din of voices stopped him in his tracks. It seemed to be coming from the left-hand side of the room, so he placed an ear close to the wall and listened. 

"Wo ist der junge?!" A loud, obnoxious voice demanded. It appeared to be from an elderly man. 

"Ich weisses nicht. I haven’t seen him all day." A younger man replied hesitantly. He did not seem too much older than Ludwig himself. 

"You have to look for him!" the older man shouted, clearly getting impatient "Or I will!" 

"Bitte…" The younger man begged "I’ll try to find him as soon as possible." 

A few footsteps echoed around the vicinity frantically. Then, a door opened in the room and a tall, cloaked figure emerged. He was breathing heavily as if he had been running for quite some time. After a brief moment, he walked closer to Ludwig, straining his eyes in the dark. 

"Kleiner bruder…" A voice called "Where are you?" 

Unsure whether to reveal himself, the German darted back into the shadows. The voice sounded cheery, yet there was an edge to it. Ludwig was certain that he had heard it before, yet he couldn’t seem to associate it with anyone he knew. 

"Ludwig…" The voice sounded impatient. "LUDWIG!" 

 

He woke up with a start, finding Gilbert sitting close beside him on the bed. It was unusually bright outside and the albino was already dressed. Curious, Gilbert placed a hand on Ludwig’s forehead, his red irises still filled with concern like the previous night. 

"Are you ill?"

Ludwig tried to sit up, anxious to know what the time was. He needed to go to work, yet his legs would not let him.

"Gilbert…" Ludwig murmured tiredly "What is the time?" 

"It’s eight ‘o clock. I tried waking you a number of times, but you didn’t budge. What’s wrong?"

"I…I don’t know." Ludwig frowned, trying to pull himself up. During this time, he would have already been making his way the office. ”I can’t get up. I feel so…Exhausted." He turned his confused blue gaze to the Prussian, suddenly longing for his touch. The hand on his forehead reassured him. "Gilbert, lie next to me please."

"What?! West. You have work today." Gilbert was shocked by the request from the German. He hardly ever slept in, even during his days off. It seemed as if all the energy and motivation had been drained from him. The older nation was unused to this behaviour from his brother. He moved his hand off his forehead, realising that he did not have a fever like he had initially thought. 

"I’m going to ring the office and let them know that you can’t come in today." Gilbert decided. At this stage, it did not seem like a good idea for Ludwig to go to work. Once alert and serious, the younger man was now dazed and needy, eager for intimacy from his older brother. Beforehand, Gilbert would have liked to see Ludwig more carefree like this, yet this transition in behaviour was too much to behold. 

The albino left the room and dialled the number to Ludwig’s office in Berlin. After a while, a polite voice answered.

"Jawohl?"

"Morgen." Gilbert greeted, trying not to sound too overwhelmed "My brother is not feeling well. I think he is coming down with something. Could you give him a few days off?"

"Was?!" The voice was in disbelief. It was Hans, Ludwig’s work colleague. "It’s nothing too serious, is it?" 

"I don’t know." Gilbert replied miserably "He’s been like this since yesterday. Let the boss know about this, okay?" 

"May I ask why?" Ever since seeing Ludwig distracted from the double, Hans was suddenly suspicious. Everything odd seemed to occur with that man, especially during those past few days. The German had told him that it was merely stress-related, but there had to be more to it; the wound on the arm, the constant late hours and inconsistent shifts. Now he needed extra time off. Something just didn’t add up. 

Gilbert thought for a while but decided not to give too much away. He didn’t want Ludwig to appear insane in his co-worker’s eyes, or himself for that matter. Who would actually believe them? ”He’s got a virus.” He answered finally, which was far from the truth. In these circumstances, he had no choice. 

"Is that so?" Hans asked. Gilbert remained silent so he just gave a sigh of resignation. He was still slightly reluctant "Very well. I’ll tell the boss. Auf Wiederhören."

"Auf Wiederhören." Gilbert hung up the phone in relief. He was thankful for Hans’ compliance and obedient nature. He hoped desperately that the co-worker would remain that way, at least until he could fully figure out what was really going on with his brother. 

Outside, a white cloaked figure stood, staring into the window of the house. Under the hood, blue eyes scanned the room, focused on the form of Ludwig which was sprawled beneath the sheets. As soon as the Prussian re-entered the room, the figure scowled and darted back into the bush, scurrying back into the distant forest. 

Unaware of the figure that was just standing near the window, Gilbert stood at Ludwig’s bedside, keeping watch over the younger man’s sleeping form. It reminded him so much of the day when Ludwig was only seven years old and pleaded for a bedtime story from the Prussian. A memory briefly flashed into his mind. 

 

"Bitte brüderlein." The innocent blue eyes seemed intent on him, eager to hear a story

"Alright Ludwig…" The silver-haired man sighed, sitting down on the bed next to the young boy "What story would you like me to tell you tonight?" 

Gilbert has often told traditional fairy tales to the young German, some even with an alternate ending to the original. He would often try to incorporate himself into the stories as a way for his little brother to idolise him more. Ludwig listened curiously, paying close attention to the small details in the story. The albino turned to him, smiling at the focused, serious expression which was beyond his years. It was difficult to distract him from this state. 

When you get older, you’re going to be a very intelligent man, Gilbert thought fondly. 

"The silver-haired prince had defeated the witch and lived with the golden-haired maiden forever." The Prussian concluded, stroking the sleeping boy’s fair hair. He carefully hoisted Ludwig from his lap, allowing his arms to drape over his shoulders and gave him a kiss on the forehead before tucking him in. Once snug under the blankets, Gilbert stood near the bed for a few minutes as he watched his brother sleep peacefully. He longed to protect him, to shelter him from any harm that was bound to come their way. However, Ludwig seemed to be pretty capable on his own, even from an early age. In hesitation, he finally left him alone in the dark room. 

 

Back in the present day, Gilbert knew that this was different. He had left the German alone before and realised that it had changed him for the worst. Now he couldn’t afford to leave his side. As little as he admitted it, Ludwig needed him, more than ever. 

"Mmm…" Ludwig groaned in his sleep as he shuffled slightly 

"West?" Gilbert jumped up quickly and was sitting on the bed, running a hand through his hair like when he was younger. "I’m right here, don’t worry." 

Ludwig gasped and opened his eyes. By instinct, he flinched but then relaxed as he noticed the Prussian was still stroking his hair.

"Gilbert…" He murmured, his voice barely a whisper "I-I don’t know what is happening. Halt…Halt mich." Eyes struggling to stay open, the German weakly heaved one arm up to Gilbert in a clumsy attempt for an embrace. A row of painful wounds populated his flesh and it hurt the Prussian to look at them. He had not noticed them before. 

"Bitte….Brüderlein." He whispered, staring at him with the same innocent blue gaze that had remained in Gilbert’s memory for so many years. 

Hastily blinking back the tears in his scarlet eyes, the albino placed his arms around him securely, pulling Ludwig close. It was unusual, after such a dramatic turn of events to finally be the one nurturing Ludwig after being a victim of the double’s evil scheme. Although it wasn’t much different to how he had taken care of his brother when he was younger, Gilbert still felt unsettled to what had taken the strength away from Ludwig. 

"I’ll be by your side." Gilbert heard himself saying "Für immer…" 

The younger German froze and quickly drew away from the albino. His heart raced as the familiar words had re-entered his consciousness. Suddenly the wounds on his body simultaneously received a sharp pain, as if hot tar had been poured onto them. He gave a yelp of pain and felt his body grow hot. 

"D-Don’t…" He groaned, as he began to thrash violently in the bed sheets "I don’t want this bruder. Make stop!" 

"Ludwig!" Gilbert tried to grab the blonde by the shoulders and drew his hand away quickly at the sudden heat of his brother’s skin "Ach!" 

Within a few minutes, Ludwig’s eyes opened. Bright red shone out of his sockets, startling the Prussian more. He sat up straight and with one hand, pulled Gilbert towards him with inhuman strength. 

"You fiend." He whispered threateningly "I will never forgive you for taking him away from me…EVER. You tried to hurt me in the past and now you won’t even let me have my happiness. People like you deserve to SUFFER!” 

"Stop it Ludwig! You don’t know what you are saying!" The albino was shaking in fear, terrified of the monstrous being which was invading his brother’s body. 

Suddenly it all became clear. The numerous wounds on the arms, the malicious scarlet gaze…It was Ludwig’s double. And now he had taken over the German, plotting to destroy the Prussian. It had been his intention the whole time: The encounter in the forest, the threats and abuse, along with the manipulation. He wanted to hurt him, to push him over breaking point so that he could be alone with Ludwig…But why? What did he have against the Prussian that made him want to kill him? 

The double gave one cry and Ludwig slumped roughly against the mattress. Gilbert quickly knelt beside him, daring himself to touch him again. To his relief, the German had cooled down back to normal body temperature. He reopened his eyes to look at the Prussian in concern. Tears began to cascade down his cheeks. 

"Go!" He sobbed "I don’t want you to see me like this." He was dazed and shaken up by his actions. It was embarrassing enough for his brother to see him cry, but it was even worse to wake up and find Gilbert with a look of sheer terror. Although he had some idea of what he had done, he was powerless against the motions that his body was performing. Against his orders, Gilbert continued to stay by his side. 

"No." The Prussian said firmly, taking the German’s sweaty hand "I want to care for you. I’m not going to let him destroy you too."

Ludwig continued to weep, his shoulders shaking uncontrollably “You hear me, West?” Gilbert placed a hand on each side of the younger man’s face and stared straight into his eyes. “I’m going to be here with you all the way to defeat him, you’ll see.” he wiped away the tears of the other and gave him a tender kiss on the forehead. Even to this day, the same gesture was able to calm the German down. He closed his eyes and laid his head against the chest of the Prussian in exhaustion. 

"I’m right here, Ludwig." Gilbert whispered, running his hand through the blonde hair of his brother slowly "And I’m not going to let him win."

 

The next few days passed by with little progress. Ludwig was still weak. He had spent most of his time sleeping, having to be woken up by Gilbert to eat or to have a shower. Hans continued to ring the house for the German, growing wearier for his repeated absences. 

"Ludwig…"Hans’ voice called worriedly from the answering machine "Where have you been? We have our meeting tomorrow and you’ve been away at home. Please answer soon and let me know what the deal is with you." 

Gilbert pulled the headset from the phone angrily “He’s not well.” The albino replied in an annoyed tone of voice “So if you want him to come in for a meeting, that’s just too bad. You’ll have to have one without him.”

"Gilbert, you need to seek medical assistance!" Hans answered, startled by the sudden reply of the brother "It sounds really serious if he’s been away for too long."

"I’m taking care of him…Quit worrying." he was getting increasingly frustrated by the other’s persistence. Before Hans could reply, the albino hung up. In defiance, he bent over behind the counter and disconnected the phone.

“Blöder Kerl.” The Prussian murmured through gritted teeth. Despite informing him on Ludwig’s condition, the co-worker was still curious. It was too much of an inconvenience at the moment. 

 

Ludwig looked around him. He was in the same, elongated room once more. A tall shadowy figure in a long robe approached him, yet in the dim light his face was obscured. He walked closer to the German and then knelt down so that they were at the same level. Ludwig stated into the hood, straining to see a face, yet it was too dark. 

"Mein kleiner bruder." A serious voice spoke "You have disobeyed me once again, haven’t you?"

"I-I don’t understand." Ludwig tried to utter. To his horror, a young boy’s voice spoke at his defence…A voice of a seven-year-old. 

A hand reached out and lay in his hair “Don’t you lie to me, Ludwig. I saw what you did. You broke grandfather’s expensive vase, didn’t you?”

"I didn’t!" the young voice cried from Ludwig’s throat "I don’t know what you are talking about!" 

The hand gripped at his hair and tugged. The young boy gave a small cry in pain. Another hand reached out towards him and grabbed his jaw. “Because of you, I have to suffer.” The figure whispered threateningly “Do you know this? DO YOU?!” 

Ludwig felt his throat tighten. It was difficult to reply back, for the hand on his jaw was holding him tight, nails digging into his flesh.

"Please stop…"

"But Ludwig…We’ve only just started." At these words, the figure pulled the boy down onto the cold hard floor. Hands pulled down the straps of his lederhosen and he began unbuttoning his shirt. Heart racing, the German tried to pull away, but the figure held him securely. He ran a hand over the bare, exposed skin of his back. 

"Such perfect skin." the figure marvelled "It would be a shame to have to taint it, wouldn’t it?" 

Ludwig squirmed in discomfort. Somehow those words had seemed so familiar to him, yet he couldn’t figure out who would have spoken them. He felt something cold and hard running over his skin and realised that it was the tip of a riding crop. 

"…But then again…" The figure whispered "You have to pay for it, just like I had to." a small draught blew over him and the riding crop came down and met his back. A harsh blow clapped against him and a sharp, stinging pain rose. 

"Ah!" Ludwig cried "Stop!!" 

Another blow hit him, and then another. The pain intensified, travelling all over his flesh. He sobbed as he lay on the floor on his stomach, his back much too sore to lie down properly. Two black boots met his eyes and he flinched in defence, cautious that he might get kicked in the face. But to his surprise, a reassuring hand laid on his shoulder.

"I had to do it bruder." a voice wavered quietly "Es tut Mir leid." 

 

The German opened his eyes to find Gilbert running his hand over his shoulder. He gave a sigh in relief as he realised that it was only a dream…But why did the pain feel so real? 

"Are you feeling better?" The albino asked in concern "You had a nightmare."

"Was I screaming in my sleep?" Ludwig asked anxiously. He glimpsed at the window, expecting to see the bright blue sky of late morning, yet it was pitch black. 

"Yes." The Prussian answered truthfully "But don’t worry about it, okay?" In the half-light, Gilbert’s appearance told a different story. Dark circles rimmed his eyes and his hair was tousled, as if he had just been woken up from a deep sleep. He looked as if he had been suffering, almost just as much as the German. Ludwig felt guilty witnessing this and turned away, burying his head in his pillow. "I’m sorry for waking you" he mumbled. 

"Don’t feel bad West. I’m not so tired anymore. He lifted up Ludwig’s shirt for an intimate kiss, yet his lips hovered a few centimetres away from his back. The wounds from the trees in the forest were just starting to heal. 

"What happened?" Gilbert asked quickly, anger rising in his voice "Who did this to you?!" 

"The…The double." Ludwig whispered hastily, his head still buried in the pillow "He’s dangerous." The German then sat up and placed his hands on Gilbert’s shoulders, finally turning his eyes towards him "Promise me…Promise me that you won’t go after him." 

"You know I can’t do that." The Prussian replied stubbornly "I’ve already vowed to defeat him. I’m not going to back down now. He can’t do this to you and get away with it!" 

"But he’s already won." Ludwig said sadly "He’s already under my skin. If you hurt him, you’ll hurt me too" 

Gilbert cut Ludwig’s words with a passionate kiss on the mouth. He stroked his face and stared into his troubled, miserable azure gaze. “There is no way that I am going to lose this. He made you suffer and now I will make him pay. Nothing you say will change my mind.” 

The German began to frown but leaned in to whisper in Gilbert’s ear “The book… He’s in the book.” as Gilbert’s eyes widened in realisation, it was Ludwig’s turn to be concerned “Do be careful…” He whispered. 

 

The Prussian entered the lounge room to find that the book was still lying on the floor where he had last left it. Heart racing, he knelt down and picked up the novel, forcing himself to confront the haunting cover properly. Within the Victorian portrait-style oval, the hollow white face met his gaze once again. It was a young face, yet it appeared to be filled with so much torment, blue eyes appearing more haunted and distraught, rather than innocent and cheerful. Messy fair hair hung over one of the eyes and a few scars lined what appeared to be delicate, Germanic features. It was a young man who appeared to have too much responsibility for his age and far too much heartache. 

But why? Gilbert thought…Why is this so familiar to me? He continued to stare into the despaired eyes, his hands shaking the book as he did so. It was a face which looked so distant to him, yet one that he felt he knew his entire life.

…It was the face of his own.

 

Terrified at the striking resemblance, Gilbert threw the book on the floor. Trembling in fear, he curled into a ball for a few minutes, willing himself not to cry. It was too much to bear. 

"Snap out of it, you dummkopf." Gilbert told himself firmly. He stood up again and snatched the book from the floor with purpose. With fierce determination, he began reading the first sentence. 

 

In the long, grand hall, a boy ran through the door cheerily. Completely overwhelmed with mirth from his victorious hunt, he bumped into the ornate vase that was perched on the small end table. Shards of porcelain filled the air-

Gilbert felt a sharp pain in his head and the words suddenly blurred together in a thick, black, illegible mass. He couldn’t read anymore. He blinked and tried to refocus his vision, but a strong draught blew into the room, slamming the cover on his hand. 

"Ach!"

It was impossible. He couldn’t read the book. Whoever had written it had made sure that it was only allowed to be read by Ludwig…Or at least, anyone who wasn’t Gilbert. Frustrated and confused, the Prussian finally gave up the book and went to bed. 

Outside, the cloaked figure perched on a tree branch, staring straight into Ludwig’s window. He tapped on the glass, with a gloved hand but Ludwig did not stir from the bed. Hesitating for a moment, the hooded figure gave a sigh and raised his arm. The window began to open and he slid into the room easily. He walked over to the bed and leaned close to the sleeping German, resting his hands on one of his wound-covered arms. 

"Mein bruder." He whispered "I’m so sorry." 

Ludwig struggled to open his eyes, yet the figure was long gone, the window closed as if there had been no intruder. Thinking that all he heard was a dream, he went back to sleep. 

 

The next few consecutive nights ended up having the same tormenting dream, much to Ludwig’s dismay. He was in a dark, long hallway and a figure would emerge from the shadows, brandishing a riding crop. 

"You’ve been very bad, Ludwig." the voice said angrily "And you know what happens when you disobey." A hand knocked him down to the floor and he struggled to sit up, only to be pulled down and hit respectively with the riding crop. Despite his desperate pleas to stop, the figure continued to hit him, a cold, harsh series of blows which caused him to lie feebly on the floor. 

Two hands lifted him up by the collar and pulled him close. He attempted to move away but the other was too strong. Propping him on his lap, the figure pulled up his shirt and began to kiss the wounds, causing him to jump at the contact. 

"Does that feel better?" Ludwig made no answer, too weak to move. His heart hammered in his chest, fearful for being hit again. The figure ran a hand through his hair intimately, as if trying to comfort him. "I don’t blame you for being upset with me…" he said quietly as if Ludwig had answered "But you will grow to appreciate this lesson someday, you’ll see. Someday you will grow to love your wounds and feel as if you have earned them. You just…You make me so angry sometimes." He put his arms around the German, embracing him with all the love that he had tried not to express initially. 

The next day Gilbert woke up and went to Ludwig’s room to find that the German was gone. Worried, he went outside to search for him. 

"West!" Gilbert called "West! Where are you?" 

A figure stole past the yard, the white cloak billowing in the wind. 

"Hey! Get back here!" The Prussian yelled and chased after the figure. He didn’t have a physique too different from his own, yet he ran so much faster. Panting, Gilbert stumbled into a tree stump and lost sight of him. He continued to run for a few kilometres, but it was no use. The other person was nowhere in sight. 

Annoyed for letting the man get away so quickly, Gilbert went back inside, still determined to find Ludwig. The sound of rushing water greeted him, probably coming from the direction of the bathroom. Gilbert let a sigh of relief. Ludwig was having a shower. Perhaps he was recovering after all. However, Gilbert did not want to get his hopes up. 

Under the water, Ludwig was beginning to lather himself up with soap when he heard a familiar voice chuckling very close by. 

You know, I’ve missed having time alone with you. 

"Stop it." Ludwig scolded at the voice "I don’t want anything to do with you! Get away from me." 

How could you say that? The voice persisted. At those words, Ludwig felt his own rough hands run over his body against his will. He tried to move his hands away, but it was as if they had a mind of their own. They travelled lower and lower, causing him to gasp in pleasure. 

You see? You do want me…And for the record Ludwig, I want you too. Come on, keep going. You’re pleasing me just as much as you are pleasing yourself. 

"St-Stop…" The blonde panted, trying his hardest to suppress his moans.

He didn’t want to do this, but his hands continued on their own accord, stroking him intensely. 

Nein. You want me to keep going. Stop trying to deceive yourself. I know you too well. 

"Ah…" Ludwig moaned, leaning against the tiles. He felt his heart pulsing furiously as the gestures continued to overwhelm him. He gritted his teeth, but it was no use. "Ja…Ja…" He groaned quietly. 

Lauter… The voice whispered. His hands continued to fondle him even faster. 

"I can’t…" Ludwig muttered "I…I can’t…Ja…JA!" He shouted. 

Ja, ja, ja! The voice screamed simultaneously. Panting frantically, Ludwig finally released himself and sprawled onto the wet tiles, still trembling with pleasure. 

 

Gilbert heard the younger man’s cries and burst into the room, flinging open the shower curtain. Ludwig lay under the running water, still groaning. It perplexed him to see his brother like this. Ludwig was always very conservative about self-pleasure. He was about to lean over to turn off the tap when the blonde suddenly rose. Eyes blazing, he grabbed the albino and pulled him into the shower with him. 

"Ludwig!" Gilbert cried, later on realising that it was the double that had his arms around him.

"Lass mich los!" 

"Niemals." the double replied, pulling him into a passionate kiss. Gilbert groaned as the other’s tongue twisted around his own. He felt his clothes getting wet in the shower and tried to move out of the path of the nozzle, yet the double stood in his way. 

"I have a better idea…" Red-eyed Ludwig replied "Like this." at his words, he pulled off the Prussian’s shirt, throwing it on the floor and then yanked off his wet pants with difficulty. He slid his rough hand into Gilbert’s briefs, pursuing to stroke him. Gilbert groaned, unable to move away. He felt himself grow hard, much to his own alarm. He did not want to surrender to the double’s caresses, but he couldn’t move away. Then, before he could do anything, the German pulled off his briefs and forced him to the floor where he made his entrance into the Prussian. 

Gilbert groaned at the contact, finding himself trembling as he lay on the tiles. “Ah!” he cried. 

"You’re just as willing as you always have been…" He whispered huskily as Gilbert squirmed "You fool." 

After he had reached his climax, Ludwig slumped onto tiles unconscious. Shocked, and still quite warn out, Gilbert hoisted himself up with a struggle to turn off the shower tap and pulled Ludwig out of the shower. With some effort, he managed to half-drag, half-carry the younger German to the bedroom. He dressed himself into dry clothing and assisted Ludwig, who was still weak from his previous episode with the double. 

 

The German finally awoke from a dreamless sleep and noticed the Prussian was sitting by his side with the unopened book in his hand. A look of hopelessness was etched on his face. 

"I can’t read it Ludwig. I tried…But I can’t. I think there’s some sort of spell against me." he paused to laugh at his seemingly ludicrous excuse, but Ludwig stared at him with a look of serious concern. From all the things he had witnessed in the forest with the double, anything was possible. 

"You don’t…You don’t believe this, do you?" Gilbert gasped in disbelief as he noticed his brother’s expression. 

"This isn’t something to joke about." Ludwig said sternly, trying to rub sleep from his eyes "But I think that this is really about the double. I don’t know, but everything in there relates to him so well."

"But where did you get it?!" Gilbert asked anxiously "The book didn’t just appear, didn’t it?" 

The German sighed in confusion. “I don’t know…” he replied testily. The idea of trying to rearrange his thoughts required too much effort for his waning energy. He shut his eyes and put his arms out “Please Gilbert, lie next to me.” 

 

Gingerly, the Prussian lay on the bed with him, putting his arms around the younger blonde. His silvery hair brushed against Ludwig’s neck, a reassuring touch. He clung to him tighter, as if afraid to lose the albino. At least with his brother by his side, he felt that he had some remnant of sanity. However, there was no way of knowing when the double would return. 

Gilbert awoke to find Ludwig sitting at the end of the bed, shaking furiously. 

"West?" He called, yet it was as if he hadn’t heard him. With a trembling finger, Ludwig pointed at the window. 

"I just saw-" He choked, but no more words came out. Gilbert quickly walked to the window and stared out into the dark. He strained to see some figure, some sign of movement, yet it was only the branches of the trees that moved solemnly from the wind. Panic rose in him when brief images flashed before him in his memory; The mysterious figure that stole past his house, the seemingly enchanted book with an unusual cover…If under normal circumstances, he would have thought that his younger brother was seeing things, but now it was all beginning to make sense. 

Someone was after them…Or at least, after Ludwig. 

The Prussian dressed briskly and pulled on his boots. A confused Ludwig watched him. “Where are you going?” 

"That person you just saw…I think I know who it might be. I have to go after him!"

"But the double is in me." The German insisted "I think you’d just be wasting your time going after someone who might not even exist." 

Gilbert leaned over and gave a quick kiss on the younger man’s mouth to cut him off. “Don’t argue with me.” He said firmly “I’m going to defeat whatever it is that is behind this mess.” with that, he raced out of the house and into the dark, leaving the Ludwig alone in the room once more. 

When he was outside, he carefully scrutinised his surroundings with a torch, making sure that there was nobody following him every few minutes. It was a long, slow journey with little progress. Gilbert shivered. There had to be someone there. He trusted his instincts entirely. Finally, after a while, he reached the black forest, the same forest that the double had taken him. It felt like such a long time ago, yet it was only until now when he actually remembered the event properly. 

In an angry, drunken haze, he stumbled across the dark forest. A tall, caped figure stood casually, leaning against a tree. Under a brown cap, Gilbert could see a few scars on his chiselled, yet familiar profile. 

"Ludwig?" 

At the mention of his name, the man turned his red gaze at the albino. “Well. I never thought I would see you here, bruder.” 

Gilbert gasped. “You’re not Ludwig. You can’t be…” 

"I am your brother though. Remember? I got these scars from you all those years ago. You punished me. I am so surprised to see that you’ve come for me."

"I don’t know what you are talking about, but you are not my brother. Get away from me, you weirdo." Even though they looked so similar, there was no way that this stranger could be related to Ludwig. 

A frown formed on the German’s face “You might want to think carefully about the words you chose.” He then moved closer to the Prussian and stared straight into his eyes with a manic eagerness. “How about we play a game?” 

"You’re stupid." Gilbert scoffed, still slightly drunk. He turned around to go back to the house, but a gloved hand clapped him on the shoulder tightly. 

"Komm…" He beckoned "Spiel ein spiel mit Mir." 

Gilbert gasped as the memories of that fateful night had returned. He felt himself shake in revulsion and wanted to turn around. But he remembered that look of sadness from Ludwig’s blue eyes. 

No. He thought firmly I have to find this man. 

He continued to walk closer to the forest when he reached the same place where he first encountered the double. However, instead of the double, he found a piece of material hanging from one of the branches. Curious, his eyes followed the piece of material until he realised that it was a part of a long hood. A figure turned his hooded head towards Gilbert and then jumped from his branch with athletic grace. 

"Who are you?" Gilbert demanded. It was the same figure who he had spotted in the yard the other day.

"Shouldn’t I be asking that?" an identical voice replied. 

Shocked by the similarity, he tackled the figure to the ground and finally pulled off the hood that was obscuring his face. Under the dying torch light, familiar Prussian features stared back at him. A shock of silver hair hung over one of his blue eyes messily. Apart from the eye colour and the multiple scars on his face, the man was an exact duplicate of Gilbert. 

"This is quite amusing, don’t you think?" Blue-eyed Gilbert asked mockingly. However, his gravely serious expression was anything but amused. 

"What…What do you want?" The Prussian stammered. He was still trying to get used to the idea of seeing his own double. The book cover flashed into his memory briefly…It was him the whole time. 

"Once again, shouldn’t I be asking you that?" The double was clearly irritated. After a sigh of exasperation, he turned his head to the direction of the house "I want my brother back." 

"You’re ridiculous." Gilbert scoffed "He’s not your brother, okay?" Immediately, Gilbert realised what the other’s intentions were; to hand over Ludwig…But how? The double had already possessed him. They were one person now. He didn’t want to lose him, no matter how often the double kept on reappearing. It was Ludwig’s body, not the red-eyed double. 

"Now look who’s being ridiculous." The other retorted, his tone suddenly icy. "I’ve watched over him for so many days. You’ve been keeping him captive the whole time under that roof, making him weak. If you had any sense, you’d let him go." 

Anger rising in his veins, Gilbert shoved the double to the ground impulsively. “Don’t tell me what to do!” He yelled “He’s stuck in this mess because of you and that stupid book. Your brother is long gone. Now if I were you, I’d be leaving as well.” The Prussian tried not to laugh at his own ironic statement. 

The double continued to address him with cold eyes in silence. Then, in a moment, he released one of his hands and pushed down Gilbert’s head towards his own. Lips only a few meters away from the Prussian’s the double murmured “Isn’t that what you wanted? To be me as well?" 

Gilbert frowned, his heart suddenly racing as he realised how close he was to the double. It was an unusual offer, yet it would solve the problem another way.

"Well? Isn’t it?" The double repeated. He ran a hand through the other’s silver hair, as if he were a lover. "Why don’t we become one together then? It might as well be the only solution to our problems." He ran his tongue against Gilbert’s cheek, causing him to tremble. The Prussian jolted, yet the double by that time had already freed his hands and pulled him closer. "I know you want that…" He whispered. A hand trailed down his back. Gilbert shivered at the other’s cold touch. It was disconcerting, yet enticing at the same time. He felt his heart leap in excitement. He wanted more. 

A black finger nail scratched at his other cheek and the double frowned in disapproval. “I used to look more like you once upon a time.” He snarled “But ever since my brother arrived, I was treated differently.” He pressed his nail deeper into Gilbert’s skin, causing a red mark to form.

"I hated him for that. My perfect, little brother. Whenever he did something wrong, I always got punished for it."

"You’re hurting me!" Gilbert shouted, but the double placed another hand over his mouth. 

"Let me finish." He continued sternly "He was always favoured…That spoilt brat. Then one day, I decided to teach him a lesson myself." 

A vision appeared in the Prussian’s mind of a long, elegant hall. A young silver-haired man was surrounded by several shattered shards of an expensive ornamental vase. A large, elderly bearded man came booming through the door, horrified by the mess he saw. 

"Did you do this?!" He demanded "Answer me!" 

"It wasn’t me! It was Ludwig!" 

The older man grabbed the young man by the collar roughly. 

"Dann, wo ist der junge?"

"Ich weisses nicht. I haven’t seen him all day." 

Furious by his dishonest reply, he struck his face. A red, painful flash appeared on his cheek “You have to look for him! Or I will!” 

Then, another vision appeared. This time, it was more fragmented and blurry, as if it had happened even longer ago.

The silver-haired man was laying face-down on a bench, crying in pain as a man behind him was smacking him fiercely with a cane. Beads of blood began to form from the lashes on his pale back. 

"Stop crying!" The man shouted. "You have to earn these wounds! You can’t misbehave and get away with it." 

Just when the young man couldn’t take the pain any longer, a timid knock on the door caused the older man to stop. He quickly dropped the cane and opened the door slightly. 

"Ludwig." The old man hid his astonishment with a beam "What can I do for you today?" 

"…I…I wanted to borrow some books, Großvati." 

The bearded man ruffled the child’s hair and walked out of the room to the fetch some fairy tale books him. Yet by accident, he had left the door slightly ajar. Curious, the young boy walked into the room. A quiet sob startled him, yet when he walked closer to the bench in the dark room, he found his brother lying on the bench weakly. 

"Gilbert?" 

The young man jumped at the voice and turned his teary blue eyes towards him. “Oh, it’s you Ludwig.” There was a mix of relief and disappointment in his voice. The innocent seven-year-old was the last person he had wanted to see, but at least it wasn’t his grandfather. “What is it?” He tried to keep a firm face, yet he ended up breaking down in tears once more. 

Young red eyes filled with concern, the child walked closer to the Prussian and placed a warm hand on his back comfortingly. “Does it hurt?” He asked. 

"What do you think, dummkopf?!" The other asked angrily, refusing to give him any eye contact. "Get out of here and leave me alone." 

The boy seemed unaffected by the insult from his older brother. He continued to study the wounds. The way the lines eerily etched the skin interested him. It was more like an animal’s back than a human’s. Without another thought, he placed his lips to the wounds and kissed them, hoping to bring the older man out of his misery. It was unheard of, showing such intimacy towards someone of the same gender, particularly one’s own brother. However, at that moment, the young boy felt that it was right. 

Instead of moving away, the Prussian relaxed, suddenly comforted by the gesture from his younger brother. It was a long, quiet moment between the two brothers then, as if nobody else in the world had existed. He felt more grateful than he had for a long time. 

The vision ended then. Gilbert turned back to the double, his eyes beginning to brim with tears. It was a sad story, but he felt as if he could sympathise with the man. 

"Fine." He finally gave in, noticing the lonely look in the cold, blue eyes of the double. Under the half light, the wounds on his face looked a little bit like the thin, long shadows of the tree branches. In this way, he didn’t look as menacing as he usually did…He was just a sad man who was in need of his brother. However, he was still quite reluctant to help.

”…I’ll bring you to Ludwig.” 

 

The two Prussians made their way to the bedroom, finding Ludwig curled up on the bed asleep. 

"West…" Gilbert called, gently nudging the German. 

Startled, Ludwig opened his eyes. His jaw dropped as he noticed the second Gilbert standing close behind him. 

"You…" He began "You’re my double’s brother, aren’t you?" 

"What are you talking about?" The blue-eyed Gilbert spat "I’m your brother. How could you not remember me?" He walked closer and grabbed one of Ludwig’s arms, running his fingers over the wounds which had recently developed. "You’ve earned your wounds." 

The German flinched and pulled his arm away. “I got these wounds from my double, not from you. I don’t even know who you are.” 

“Du Lügst…” Blue-eyed Gilbert murmured. He continued to scrutinise his features with pride. “You’ve grown so much.” He continued “But some part of me still wonders whether you are still that wretched brat. Don’t try to deny it. You’ve been dreaming of my lesson to you, haven’t you?” 

"I…" Ludwig was speechless. It sounded so much like the harrowing dreams in the long, dark hallway. "That was from the book! I only dreamt of those things from the book." 

"…Meine traurige Geschichte” The double smiled at Ludwig’s response “I only wrote it to remind you of all the times we had together and why I punished you for the way I did. You ran away from me and chose to live a life of isolation…To become a shadow of someone else.” 

Ludwig felt his body grow hot and he winced in pain. It was only a matter of seconds before the double would re-emerge. 

The double placed a rough, scarred hand on the German’s shoulder and stared at him straight into the eye. The increasing temperature of his body did not seem to affect him. “Now…” He whispered. “You will be with me…Für Immer.” 

Gripping the bed sheets, the blonde’s eye lids drooped. He began to thrash around violently, crying out as the pain in his wounds increased even more. Gilbert gasped and tried to rush to his side, but the double blocked him. “He’s not your brother now.” He said sternly “Komm, Ludwig. KOMM!” 

Screaming in agony, the young man finally opened his red eyes. The double glanced at the blue-eyed Gilbert. Wrath pumped through his veins and he leapt up suddenly, seizing him by the shoulders and slamming him against the wall. 

"Mein bruder…" he sneered in malice recognition, smoothing back the silver hair of the older double "I haven’t seen you in years. You don’t look very different at all, except of course you look a lot thinner. And you have more scars. Tell me, did Großvater hurt you again?" 

"What do you think?" The other hissed, his cold blue eyes piercing into the red gaze of the younger brother. "I was tortured so much because of all the things you did, even after you had run away from home. And I had nobody to kiss my wounds. Why, bruder? Why did you leave me? Did you grow too strong for your older brother’s assurance?” He paused as a realisation came to mind “…Or did you fall in love?” 

Flustered, the younger double hung his head in embarrassment “Ja…I found another older brother to play a game with. But he was too much like you, so I wanted him to endure the same pain that you gave me.” 

Immediately aware of the real intention for the red-eyed double’s scheme, the Prussian lurched forward. “You bastard!” He yelled in anger.

Being too quick for Gilbert’s attack, he grabbed the wrist of his arm and twisted it roughly. The albino cried out and tried to wrestle out of his grasp, but the other held him too tightly. Then, before he could do anything else, red-eyed Ludwig shoved the Prussian to the ground violently, his other hand issuing a blow to the back of his head, knocking him out cold temporarily. 

"Now, where were we?" The younger double continued, as the Prussian had not spoken "Ah yes. I remember now." His scarlet eyes lit up with childish joy as he fondly recalled his encounter with Ludwig in the forest. "I found my true love. He was difficult as well…But he reminded me so much of myself…And of you.” 

The older double’s eyebrows rose in amazement. He couldn’t believe the words his younger brother was telling him. “How?” He blurted.

Red-eyed Ludwig reached out a hand to touch the blue-eyed double’s face. “He was so serious…So full of responsibility. He loved to work. I found him in his office once, working at the dead of night. He was so determined to get the job done. I offered to play a game with him, yet he was so reluctant. But he made up to me eventually.” The German ran his lips against the Prussian double’s neck seductively, teasing him. “Ludwig would get angry so easily. But he gave in to my charms. He was weak. Just like his brother!” 

Gilbert could hear shouts, but was still too weak to get up. He strained his ears to continue listening to the conversation. Surely by now, Ludwig would come back. 

The older double gave a small smile, yet his blue eyes were still serious. He grabbed his brother by the jaw. “But he’s not important to you anymore, meine liebe. I am. I’ve always been important to you. I’ve stood by your side for so long, even though I hated you to DEATH.” 

In fury, he threw a punch at the younger double’s mouth, causing him to stumble. Crimson cascaded from his lip. He was shocked, but calmly, he licked the blood away and stood up straight, walking back to the older double. Red eyes stared at him with concern and he moved closer, reaching up into the hood to run his hand over his wounds. 

"Are you still hurting, bruder?" He asked worriedly, leaning his lips against his cheek. "…Because, if you are, I don’t blame you. I learnt my lesson from you, Gilbert. I earned my wounds. I’ve learned to love them." His voice wavered "At first, I was angry with you for punishing me, so I ran from home. Yet I never realised how lonely I was. I missed all the attention everyone had given me. Nobody ever acknowledged my presence in the outside world. I was lost." Red eyes filling with tears, he addressed his brother’s gaze. "For a moment, I had almost forgotten about you. But ever since you came back, I wonder how I was able to survive without you by my side." 

Trembling, he planted a kiss to the other’s pale, scarred cheek. “Ich liebe dich, bruder. My feelings have never changed for you. From that moment in that dark room, after you were punished, I found the silver-haired prince to my fairy tale. I was just too young to see him. But you’re here now.” 

A lump rose in the blue-eyed Gilbert’s throat and he leaned in to kiss him. But he faltered and drew away. “Nein.” He said dismissively “Nein…” He struck at the younger double, knocking him to the floor. “NOTHING could erase all those years of heartache that you gave me! Do you honestly think that a simple gesture of affection could just rid all these scars?!” he yelled. 

Startled, Gilbert opened his eyes to find red-eyed Ludwig hunched over, fiery tears falling from his eyes. “Es tut Mir leid, bruder.” His shoulders shook with sobs and he weakened. He slumped to the floor and then Ludwig finally awoke, back to his normal state. 

Dazed, he turned to his older brother, who was also sitting on the floor.

"What’s going on?" 

"I have no idea." Gilbert admitted. "Just watch." 

The tears which landed on the ground formed together, threading the body of the red-eyed double. A golden light surrounded him and then the resurrection was complete. Naked and unsteady on his own feet, the double walked slowly to the blue-eyed Prussian who was turned away at the window. He was more fragile compared to the last time he had confronted Ludwig, most of his energy depleted from possessing his body.

An icy tear fell from the double’s eye and onto one of his scars as he turned to look at his brother with sympathy. He regretted getting angry at him and wrapped his cloaked arms around his bare form protectively. The German looked more vulnerable than he did when he was younger, his blonde hair bedraggled and his posture slouched.

"I’m sorry Ludwig." He replied quietly, moving closer towards him. "Even though I had hated you for so long, you were the only person who really loved me, even with all my wounds. And you’ve learnt well. Now that you’re older, you seem to really know what you want now."

"Ja…" The younger double agreed, tracing his fingertips over the older double’s facial scars "And that is you. Komm und spiel ein spiel mit Mir, bruder…Just like we were meant to. Not when you were burdened with responsibility and punished for the things I did.” 

In silence, the blue-eyed Prussian pulled the younger double’s head closer and they kissed passionately, putting behind all the troubling things in the past. It was a sad story which did not need to be remembered. As their lips met, the dark, sad book flung open and the pages disintegrated into dust, one by one. The window behind them opened and wind carried the dust off and into the distance of the dawning sky. 

The doubles caressed as the disagreements and pain of the past become more distant. For a split moment, the younger double was a red-eyed seven-year-old, being held in the arms of a young, silver-haired man in a traditional robe. Both were innocent, their pale skin not even tainted by the scars that the tumultuous future would bring. The anguish and sadness was lost for just that one second…That reassuring, tender embrace bringing joy to the two brothers. They disintegrated together, until they were just mounds of dust being blown away by the wind. 

 

It was just a gesture, a kiss, an embrace…A lifetime away.

**Author's Note:**

> Translation key:
> 
> Danke: Thank you
> 
> Brüderlein: A more formalised way to address “brother”
> 
> Bitte: Please
> 
> Bruder: Brother
> 
> Nein: No
> 
> Was? : What?
> 
> Alles in ordnung mit dir? : Translates literally as “Everything alright with you?”
> 
> Ja: Yes
> 
> Alles okay: Everything is okay
> 
> Wo ist der junge? : Where is the boy?
> 
> Ich weisses nicht: I don’t know/I’m not sure
> 
> Kleiner: Smaller
> 
> Jawohl: Yes? (More formal)
> 
> Morgen: Morning
> 
> Auf Wiederhören: Goodbye (On the telephone)
> 
> Halt: Hold
> 
> Mich: Me
> 
> Für immer: Forever
> 
> Blöder Kerl: Stupid chap
> 
> Meine: My
> 
> Es tut Mir leid: I’m very sorry/ sorry from the bottom of my heart
> 
> Dummkopf: A derogatory term usually meaning a silly person
> 
> Lauter: Louder
> 
> Lass mich los! Let me go!
> 
> Niemals: Never
> 
> Spiel ein spiel mit Mir: Play a game with me
> 
> Dann: Then
> 
> Großvater: Grandfather- Großvati is the more colloquial, child-like endearment to a grandfather.
> 
> Du Lügst: You lie
> 
> Meine traurige Geschichte: My sad story-The title of the fan fiction. The traumatising history of 2P! Prussia and 2P! Germany is the main focus of the story and the formation of their current personalities. This is also hinted to be the title of the mysterious book in the story. Their sad history provides the reason as to how 2P! Germany had become sadistic and in love with violence in the first place.
> 
> Komm: Come
> 
> Liebe: Love
> 
> Ich liebe Dich: I love you


End file.
